1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process and catalyst for the ammoxidation of an unsaturated hydrocarbon to the corresponding unsaturated nitrile. In particular, the present invention is directed to the process and catalyst for the ammoxidation of propylene to acrylonitrile, hydrogen cyanide and acetonitrile.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Catalysts containing oxides of iron, bismuth and molybdenum, promoted with suitable elements, have long been used for the conversion of propylene and/or isobutylene at elevated temperatures in the presence of ammonia and oxygen (usually in the form of air) to manufacture acrylonitrile and/or methacrylonitrile. In particular, Great Britain Patent 1436475; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,766,232; 4,377,534; 4,040,978; 4,168,246; 5,223,469 and 4,863,891 are each directed to bismuth-molybdenum-iron catalysts which may be promoted with the Group II elements to produce acrylonitrile. In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,093,299, 5212,137, 5,658,842 and 5,834,394 are directed to bismuth-molybdenum promoted catalysts exhibiting high yields to acrylonitrile.
In part, the instant invention relates to bismuth-molybdenum-iron catalysts which have been prepared as described herein. Typically, such catalysts are produced in a batch process by simply combining and reacting, source compounds for the various metal components. However, more complex and multiple-step preparations have been used. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,978 taught a process for catalyst preparation where molybdates of each metal were separately made and then combined and reacted; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,757 taught a process for catalyst preparation where bismuth and molybdenum were first reacted to form a bismuth molybdate and then the bismuth molybdate was combined with a mixture of source compounds for the various other metal components.